This circus in South Africa lifts poor young performers into the spotlight

Clutching an aerial hoop on a Johannesburg circus stage, a young performer pauses for a split second before launching into the air and gliding, drawing cheers from the crowd below.

For 29-year-old Brian Ngobese, who grew up in impoverished Alexandra township, moments like this mean more than applause. The circus has given him a stage, a livelihood, and a way to turn his talent into work.

“We just want to show people that we can make it out of the township,” Ngobese said. “What you want to accomplish, you can actually make it.”

Behind the colourful spectacle is a social programme that helps performers from under-resourced communities turn talent into opportunity and paid work.

Alexandra is one of Johannesburg’s most densely populated townships, marked by high poverty and unemployment despite being just a few kilometres from Sandton, a major financial district dubbed the “richest square mile in Africa”.

For many young people, missing out on training opportunities often means spending years on the fringes of the labour market. Many tend to stay unemployed rather than move into informal work, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said.

Michelle Fok, an organiser of the social programme, says the goal is to create pathways into professional circus to help jobless young people. Unemployment among 18 to 34-year-old South Africans was about 45% in 2025, according to Stats SA.

“There’s so much talent and so much skill in this country. We just need a platform to launch,” she said.

Performers train for years to build the strength, flexibility and discipline needed to work professionally. Some become instructors, while others take paid work with production companies or The Cirk, a professional Johannesburg circus company.

The programme is designed to sustain itself through training, performances and other circus work rather than relying entirely on outside funding.

Fok said South African performers bring a distinctive rhythm and flow to circus, shaped by the country’s mix of cultures and backgrounds.

Ngobese’s older brother introduced him to street and social dancing. He later moved into contemporary, hip-hop and other styles, building on a love of performing that began in childhood.

He found circus almost by accident after auditioning as a dancer for a Joburg Theatre production in 2019. What began as a short job became a career when The Cirk invited him to stay and train.

Ngobese received support for training and transportation through Jozi Circus School’s youth development programme. The school partners with The Cirk, where he now works.